The New England Patriots appeared to provide some clarity to their 53-man roster locks Thursday night in their final preseason game.
There were 42 Patriots players dressed that never saw the field against the New York Giants, indicating their roster spots are safe. That list of 42 players included cornerback Justin Coleman, who reportedly was traded Friday, but didn’t include the Patriots’ three specialists, who also will make the roster. There were nine Patriots who weren’t in uniform, two of whom will be placed on injured reserve, two of whom likely will begin the season on non-football injury and five players whose injury statuses are up in the air.
Here’s how we see the Patriots’ initial 53-man roster after Saturday’s cutdown from 90 players.
*Roster lock based on dressing but not playing Thursday night
Italics indicates rookie
QUARTERBACKS (3)
Tom Brady*
Jacoby Brissett
Jimmy Garoppolo*
If Brissett’s spot on the 53-man roster wasn’t safe already, the second-year pro did enough by scoring five touchdowns to lock it down Thursday night.
RUNNING BACKS (6)
Brandon Bolden*
Rex Burkhead*
D.J. Foster
Mike Gillislee*
Dion Lewis*
James White*
Foster was the final player included in this list of 53. Consider him a potential spot-holder until the Patriots acquire a punt returner or pass rusher through trade or waiver claim. The Patriots need another punt return option after Jones tore his ACL on Thursday night. Foster didn’t return punts in college but had three opportunities last summer in the preseason.
WIDE RECEIVERS (5)
Danny Amendola*
Brandin Cooks*
Chris Hogan*
Malcolm Mitchell*
ST Matthew Slater*
Ideally, the Patriots would acquire a player who could serve as a fifth wide receiver option/punt returner. Griff Whalen, who was on the team briefly last season, is available.
TIGHT ENDS (3)
Dwayne Allen*
FB James Develin*
Rob Gronkowski*
We almost put tight end James O’Shaughnessy on the roster over Foster, but the Patriots might not feel they need a player like the flex tight end. The Patriots have been more interested in complete tight ends like Gronkowski, Allen and Martellus Bennett as of late.
OFFENSIVE LINE (8)
David Andrews*
Marcus Cannon*
Cameron Fleming*
Ted Karras
Shaq Mason*
Conor McDermott
Nate Solder*
Joe Thuney*
It was difficult to decide between McDermott, who has more upside as a sixth-round pick, and LaAdrian Waddle, who provides more dependability. If Solder is healthy to start Week 1, then it makes sense to carry McDermott, since a fourth offensive tackle ideally won’t play in 2017. Waddle was on the field for just one offensive snap all of last season in that role. Antonio Garcia, a third-round pick, lands on injured reserve in this projection. NFL teams can bring up to two players off of injured reserve at mid-season this year.
DEFENSIVE LINE (7)
DT Alan Branch*
DT Malcom Brown*
DL Adam Butler*
DE Trey Flowers*
DT Lawrence Guy*
DT Vincent Valentine*
DE Deatrich Wise Jr.
The Patriots could use another defensive end behind Flowers, Wise and Butler. They also will use their outside linebackers as pass rushers in 2017.
LINEBACKERS (8)
Marquis Flowers*
David Harris*
Dont’a Hightower*
Brandon King*
Harvey Langi
Shea McClellin
Elandon Roberts*
Kyle Van Noy*
McClellin and Langi both missed Thursday’s preseason game with injuries. The severity of the ailments are unknown and potentially could land them on injured reserve.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (10)
CB Malcolm Butler*
S Patrick Chung*
S Nate Ebner
CB Stephon Gilmore*
S Duron Harmon*
CB Jonathan Jones*
S Devin McCourty*
CB Kenny Moore
S Jordan Richards*
CB Eric Rowe*
Cyrus Jones and Coleman would have been on this list had they not been injured and traded. Instead, Moore gets the nod. He provides slot upside and special-teams value. There’s cases to be made for Will Likely, a punt returner, or D.J. Killings, who was given $30,000 guaranteed as a priority free agent, to make the team over Moore.
SPECIAL TEAMS (3)
P Ryan Allen
LS Joe Cardona
K Stephen Gostkowski
No surprises here.
INJURED RESERVE
OT Antonio Garcia
CB Cyrus Jones
WR Julian Edelman
DE Derek Rivers
Jones, Edelman and Rivers are done for the season with torn ACLs. Garcia to IR is just a projection for now.
IDEAL PRACTICE SQUAD
WR Austin Carr
WR Devin Lucien
TE Jacob Hollister
TE James O’Shaughnessy
OL Cole Croston
G Jamil Douglas
LB Trevor Bates
DT Woodrow Hamilton
CB D.J. Killings
S Damarius Travis
Last man in: RB D.J. Foster
Last man out: TE James O’Shaughnessy
Thumbnail photo via Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports Images
